Editing Nichols Field (section)

===Prelude to war===
[[File:Landing Fields - Philippines - Nichols Field - NARA - 68160638.jpg|thumb|Nichols Field building area, 1932]]
[[File:Landing Fields - Philippines - Nichols Field - NARA - 68160602.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Nichols Field, 1939]]
In 1940, political relations between the United States and the [[Empire of Japan]] reached a crisis with the Japanese occupation of [[French Indochina]].  With war clouds forming, a reinforcement effort was made to the Air Corps units in the Philippines.

On or around 1 November 1940, the 4th Composite was reinforced by the [[17th Pursuit Squadron]] from the [[1st Pursuit Group]], being transferred from [[Selfridge Field]], Michigan to Nichols Field.  Nichols Field was commanded by Col. [[Lawrence S. Churchill]]. The [[20th Pursuit Squadron]], from the [[35th Pursuit Group]] at [[Hamilton Air Force Base|Hamilton Field]], California, also was transferred to Nichols.  Both of these squadrons, however, had only sent their personnel and both were equipped in the Philippines with the obsolete Boeing [[P-26 Peashooter]].<ref name="24PG">[http://airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/078/307.xml  AFHRA Document 00078307 24th Pursuit Group]</ref> In May 1941, the 17th and 20th squadrons were re-equipped with [[Seversky P-35]]As that were manufactured for the [[Swedish Air Force]]. On 24 October 1940, President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] signed an executive order requisitioning all the undelivered P-35s sold to Sweden and impressing them into the USAAC. Forty of the planes arrived at the Manila Air Depot in Swedish markings, with Swedish language technical orders and Swedish-marked instrumentation.  These planes all required modification at the depot before being turned over to the squadrons for operational use.<ref name="24PG"/><ref name="P35">[http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/p35_2.html Baugher, Seversky P-35A]</ref> The 28th Bombardment Squadron also received some Douglas [[B-18 Bolo]]s.<ref name="Clay"/><ref name="AFHRA"/>

During summer 1941, Nichols Field was undergoing construction of an east–west runway, making the north–south runway unusable due to a lack of drainage. All of the flying units at Nichols were moved to Clark Field with the exception of the 17th Pursuit Squadron.  The 17th was sent to [[Iba Airfield]] on the north coast of Luzon where it was undergoing gunnery training.<ref name="24PG"/> In September, the 17th was moved to the still uncompleted Nichols Field when word was received that space at Clark was needed for [[B-17 Flying Fortress]]es of the incoming [[19th Bombardment Group]].  The 3d Squadron was sent up to Iba for gunnery training to free up the space. However the 17th suffered from the ongoing construction at Nichols, which caused several ground accidents.<ref name="24PG"/>

With the large number of units being deployed to the Philippines during the buildup of forces in the summer and fall of 1941, the 3rd, 17th and 20th Squadrons were reassigned to the new [[24th Pursuit Group]], which was activated at Clark Field.  The 2d Observation Squadron was assigned directly to Far East Air Force Headquarters.<ref name="AFHRA"/><ref name="24PG"/><ref>Edmonds, Walter D. ''They Fought With What They Had: The Story of the Army Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific, 1941–1942'' (1951, 1982)</ref>

Notice was received by the group on 15 November that due to the tense international situation between the United States and the [[Empire of Japan]], all pursuit aircraft on the flight line would be placed on alert 24 hours each day, be armed, fully fueled with pilots available on 30 minutes' notice. From 30 November to 6 December all squadrons underwent intensive training in day and night enemy interception and air-to-air gunnery.<ref name="24PG"/>